


Settling the Big Debate

by krisherdown



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-26
Updated: 2010-10-26
Packaged: 2017-12-06 11:25:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/735135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krisherdown/pseuds/krisherdown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Novak is looking mature in comparison to these two clowns and that’s just wrong on so many levels. </i>Takes place in Shanghai 2010.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Settling the Big Debate

**Author's Note:**

> Here are [the](http://cowbell.typepad.com/forty_deuce/2010/10/this-is-how-boys-flirt.html) [links ](http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2010/10/41/Shanghai-Wednesday-Nadal-Murray-Soccer-Dispute.aspx)to what inspired this story.  Sorry I couldn't actually get to the payoff but I hope you enjoy anyway. 

There are worthy things to argue over… and then there are Playstation contests.  Novak honestly doesn’t know and, more importantly, doesn’t care whether Rafa or Andy is right.  The point is they’re both in denial about topics that don’t involve a score.  
   
Andy is in hero worship mode regarding Rafa’s tennis game.  Novak doesn’t know why Andy needs to say these things, even as there is evidence that Andy can hold his own against either Rafa or Roger.  Novak respects both of their games, he’s not stupid, but he doesn’t lay the praise on thick, as if he’s not worthy of being on the same court much less actually _defeating_ a great player.  It's even worse when it involves Rafa since he's only a year older than them; Andy has practiced with him since they were teenagers so this needed to stop.  
   
Rafa, for his part, likes that he can act his age around Andy.  The rest of the Spanish team is older, at more serious times in their lives – or at least more dramatic, if Fernando or Feliciano are any indication.  Rafa has to act grown up when it comes to Roger and The Rivalry but that’s not always him.   It’s beginning not to even be safe for those his age, as evidenced by Andy’s serial-dating brother about to get married.  
   
That’s not the point here.  Novak is looking mature in comparison to these two clowns and that’s just _wrong_ on so many levels.    
   
With Rafa losing today to Melzer and realizing that means the three of them won’t be in the same country again until the Masters event in Paris, Novak doesn’t really have time to think out this plan.  Novak just knows that when he hears Andy punctuating a phone call with Spanish words, it jumps him into action.  Andy is still on the phone when Novak takes hold of his arm.  
   
“What are you doing?” Andy exclaims as Novak weeds them through the crowded lobby, heading for the stairwell.   
   
Novak demands, “Who were you talking with?” 

Andy struggles to catch up with Novak as he takes the stairs two at a time.  “What is wrong with you?” then shouts into the phone, “Help.  I’m being kidnapped by the tour idiot.”  
   
Novak shouts over his shoulder, “Don’t listen to the delusional video game geek.”  
   
Andy waits until they get out of the stairwell to announce into the phone, “Alex, can you call security?  I’m on the third floor of the hotel, I think, and you’ll be able to spot me because there’s a freaky player with an eagle on his back, oof, I mean there’s a freaky player on _my_ back… Novak, get off me,” as he deals with a Serbian who has let go of his hand and jumped on him in an effort to get the phone away.  
   
Novak succeeds in knocking the phone out of Andy’s hand but it also lands them both on the floor.  
   
“What is wrong with you?”  The words sound like that but Andy’s voice is muffled into the carpeting.  Novak practically lying on top of him doesn’t really help.  
   
“I have no idea what you mean…” Novak looks up as the door opens and the very person of interest is standing there.  “Perfection.”  Novak shoots up on his feet, then yanks Andy up and leads him into the room, stunning both Andy and the person getting this uninvited company.  
   
Rafa stands in the doorway, not sure he wants to get in the way of the battle.  Andy tries to get as far away from the Serb as possible, given he’s now in someone else’s room.  Rafa shuts the door and strolls toward the couch to watch the sudden entertainment he didn’t pay for.  
   
Novak doesn’t let the fact he’s in a room with two stunned tennis players deter him.  He announces, “I am sick of the games.”  
   
Rafa looks to Andy, eyebrow raised.  Andy gives a shrug, as confused as the Spaniard.   
   
Novak continues, “I cannot believe you two are seriously arguing over who won a Playstation battle!”  
   
Andy snaps, “You _tackled_ me to call _me_ childish?”  
   
Undeterred, Novak continues, “It’s a form of foreplay with you two and I’m sick of watching this from a distance.  I see this and now I’m getting involved.”  
   
Rafa shakes his head, then turns to Andy and says, “I don’t understand him.”  
   
Andy gives a light chuckle, then explains, “It’s not a language issue.  Novak just isn’t making sense right now.  You said foreplay?”  
   
“Yes.  You two are shamelessly flirting around the issue and now it’s gotten to the hungry vultures in the press.”  Novak turns away from the Scot’s irritated look toward the confused Spaniard to explain, “You don’t have to be so damn adult about everything.  Everyone looks up to you.  I get it.  It doesn’t mean I think you should be treated that way.”  
   
Rafa says, “So how do you think I should be treated?”  
   
Andy rubs his elbow, then says, “If what he just did to me is any indication, prepare to land on the floor.”  
   
“Now, Andy.  Don’t be put him on a pedestal.  You’re both acting like children.  This is a positive.  But you’re dancing around the issue.”  
   
“Which is?” Andy asks.  
   
“You want each other.  Don’t tell me otherwise.  I’ve seen enough to know you two go together.”  
   
“Is that so?” Andy says, then jokes to Rafa, “Nole seems to have us all figured out.”  
   
Rafa nods, then steps closer to Novak.  He carefully says his next words, as if afraid to get the meaning wrong with a wrong syllable.  “You been watching us?  Enjoying the view?”  
   
Novak senses there’s been a shift in the mood in the room but doesn’t know how or why that happened.  “Uh, yeah,” his voice caught in his throat as he realizes Rafa is staring right at him and is getting closer.  
   
“I see,” Rafa puts a finger to his chin, pretending to seriously contemplate this situation.  “You think that Andy is incapable of making a move, resorting to childish games?”  
   
“Obviously,” Novak blurts out, then frowns as he sees Rafa and Andy gesturing about in a wordless exchange.  
   
Finally, Andy asks Rafa, “You sure?”  Rafa throws a glance Novak’s way and answers with a stern nod.  
   
“What are you…” Novak doesn’t finish that sentence before Rafa puts a finger to his own lips to shush him.  
   
After all that deliberation, Andy asks, “Are you feeling left out of the games?”  
   
Novak’s answer is a too quick, “What?  No!”  His eyes lock in on Rafa’s challenging stare, as if they were meeting across the net in the semifinals of the French Open instead of this room.  
   
“All you had to do was ask,” Andy says curtly and if Novak thinks Rafa across-the-net look is scary, it is nothing compared to Andy once he’s determined someone is lying to his face.  
   
Rafa settles next to Andy, resting a hand on his shoulder as he says softly, “Don’t.  You know that’s how he always is.”  
   
“Excuse me.  _How_ am I always?” Novak has his hands on his hips, trying to match them when it comes to intimidation, to no avail.  
   
Rafa answers, “You fool around with someone, everything a joke and not realizing when you push too far.”  
   
Novak takes a minute to connect everything together.  “So you want the truth?”  He’s looking at Rafa but more interested in Andy’s reaction.  Rafa nods while Andy stays stoic.  “I don’t know who is right when it comes to the game but I love how passionately you argue about it.  I miss you arguing with me that way.  If I inadvertently said something that bothered you, I’d like to say I will control my mouth better but we all know that won’t last.”  
   
Silence comes over the room, Rafa catching on to the start of this weird give-and-take that's always been evident when it comes to Novak and Andy.  Andy seems initially stunned, then turns to Rafa and says, “ _Por favor_?”  
   
Everything happens too fast from there.  Novak tries to figure out Andy’s request - well, it's at least a word in Spanish he does know - but does catch Rafa nod, so maybe the question wasn’t directed his way.   Andy takes a deep breath before grabbing onto Novak’s shoulder and pulling him close.  
   
Andy holds back just as Novak thinks he's going to get lucky to ask, "Do you want in on the game?  Just so you know, Pico only started complaining about the result of the game when he figured out that Rafa was actually on my side in the argument but just wanted to stir him up."  
   
"Very feisty," Rafa says with a smirk, then stuns Novak by being the one to devour his mouth before wrapping an arm around him.  Novak's mouth hangs open as Rafa backs away and continues explaining as if there'd been no interruption, "Pico is fun but he's like Fernando. Too tough to handle his drama on a regular basis.  You're only _mildly_ dramatic in comparison."  
   
"I have one question," Novak says, struggling to regain his composure, then looks toward Andy.  "So the stuff you say in the press about Rafa?  Is that... are you the submissive and..."  
   
Andy shuts him up by moving his hand to the back of Novak's neck and holding his gaze steady as he states, "Do you honestly think I can be bossed around?"  
   
Right now, if Andy wanted to boss him around, Novak would gladly get down on his knees and oblige.  But now is not the moment to let Andy in on that knowledge.  Instead, he lets his bravado he usually reserves for post-match celebrations kick in and says, "You wouldn't be able to handle me."  
   
Andy gives a light chuckle at the attempt, then says, "We can easily take you on."    
 


End file.
